Stephanie Davis | |
|---|---|
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| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
| Assumed office June 14, 2022 | |
| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Helene White |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
| In office December 31, 2019 – June 14, 2022 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Gerald Ellis Rosen |
| Succeeded by | Susan K. DeClercq |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephanie Renaye Dawkins 1967 (age 58–59) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Wichita State University (BS) Washington University (JD) |
Stephanie Dawkins Davis (néeStephanie Renaye Dawkins, born 1967) is an American lawyer who is serving as aUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She previously served as a United States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and a formerUnited States magistrate judge of the same court.
Davis is a native ofKansas City, Kansas, where she was raised as an only child by a single mother.[1] She graduated fromF.L. Schlagle High School. Davis received aBachelor of Science fromWichita State University in 1989 and herJuris Doctor from theWashington University School of Law in 1992.[1][2] She became interested in the law as a young student in Kansas because ofBrown v. Board of Education (1954).[1]
Davis began her legal career inproducts liability andcommercial law atDickinson Wright inDetroit, where she was mentored by futureMichigan Supreme Court JusticeMary Beth Kelly.[1][2] She left private practice to join the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan in 1997, where she served in both thecivil andcriminal divisions.[2] She spent 18 years working in the U.S. Attorney's Office, prosecuting cases at both the trial and appellate levels, and serving as a deputy unit chief of the Controlled Substances Unit and high-intensity drug trafficking area liaison.[2][3] Davis was a member of theAmerican Constitution Society from 2008 and 2016.[4] She also served as theexecutive assistant U.S. attorney under then-U.S. AttorneyBarbara McQuade from 2010 to 2015.[1] Davis serves on the advisory board forUniversity of Detroit Mercy School of Law.[1]
In January 2016, she became amagistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. During her tenure, shearraignedAmor Ftouhi for his role in the 2017Bishop International Airport attack.[1] Her service as a magistrate judge ended on December 31, 2019, when she was elevated to district court judge.[5]
In December 2017, Davis was recommended to theTrump administration byDemocratic U.S. SenatorsDebbie Stabenow andGary Peters.[6] On March 8, 2019,PresidentDonald Trump announced his intent to nominate Davis to serve as a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Michigan as part of a bipartisan package of nominees which included Michael S. Bogren.[3] On March 11, 2019, President Trump nominated Davis to the seat vacated by JudgeGerald Ellis Rosen, who assumedsenior status on October 26, 2016.[7] On May 22, 2019, a hearing on her nomination was held before theSenate Judiciary Committee.[8] On June 20, 2019, her nomination was favorably reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee by avoice vote.[9] On December 16, 2019, Majority LeaderMitch McConnell filedcloture on her nomination.[10] On December 18, 2019, theUnited States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 90–1 vote.[11] On December 19, 2019, her nomination was confirmed by avoice vote.[12] She received her judicial commission on December 31, 2019,[5] and was sworn in later that same day.[13] Her service was terminated on June 14, 2022, when she was elevated to the court of appeals.[5]
On February 2, 2022, PresidentJoe Biden nominated Davis to serve as aUnited States circuit judge for theSixth Circuit.[14] President Biden nominated Davis to the seat to be vacated by JudgeHelene White, who announced her intent to assume senior status upon confirmation of a successor.[15] On March 2, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[16] On April 4, 2022, her nomination was favorably reported by the committee by a 13–9 vote.[17] On May 17, 2022, Majority LeaderChuck Schumer filed cloture on her nomination.[18] On May 19, 2022, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 48–36 vote.[19] On May 24, 2022, her nomination was confirmed by a 49–43 vote.[20] She received her judicial commission on June 14, 2022.[5] She is the first African-American woman from Michigan to serve on the Sixth Circuit.[21]
Davis is married to an engineer and has three adult children.[1]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan 2019–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit 2022–present | Incumbent |